John Lennon’s Fairly Mean Letter to Paul McCartney

Over at Letters of Note, our very favorite source for vintage celebrity correspondence, we discovered this letter from an extremely disgruntled John Lennon (we especially like his handwritten exclamation points at the end) in response to a letter from Linda McCartney in which, it seems, she had many complaints about his behavior, including that he had not notified anyone that he was leaving The Beatles. This letter is an artifact of a time period of great strife for the band, especially for the Paul and John and their respective wives. The correspondence reflects an ongoing relationship of bitter sniping – obviously what Lennon perceives as Paul and Linda’s passive aggressive failure to recognize Yoko is still a hot button issue, and it’s clear that Lennon is taking the celebrity high road and kind of accusing Paul of being a fame whore, not for the first time. If nothing else, we were struck by reading one man write to the other “Of course, we changed the world” and it being true. Click through to read the whole letter.

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Dear Linda and Paul,

I was reading your letter and wondering what middle aged cranky Beatle fan wrote it. I resisted looking at the last page to find out – I kept thinking who is it – Queenie? Stuart’s mother? – Clive Epstein’s wife? – Alan Williams? – What the hell – it’s Linda!

You really think the press are beneath me/you? Do you think that? Who do you think we/you are? The “self-indulgent doesn’t realize who he is hurting” bit–I hope you realize what shit you and the rest of my ‘kind and unselfish’ friends laid on Yoko and me, since we’ve been together. It might have sometimes been a bit more subtle or should I say “middle class” – but not often. We both “rose above it” quite a few times – & forgave you two – so it’s the least you can do for us – you noble people. Linda – if you don’t care what I say – shut up! – let Paul write – or whatever.

When asked about what I thought originally concerning MBE, etc. – I told them as best as I can remember – and I do remember squirming a little – don’t you, Paul? – or do you – as I suspect – still believe it all? I’ll forgive Paul for encouraging the Beatles – if he forgives me for the same – for being – “honest with me and caring too much”! Fucking hell, Linda, you’re not writing for Beatle book!!!

I’m not ashamed of the Beatles – (I did start it all) – but of some of theshit we took to make them so big – I thought we all felt that way in varying degrees – obviously not.

Do you really think most of today’s art came about because of the Beatles? – I don’t believe you’re that insane – Paul – do you believe that? When you stop believing it you might wake up! Didn’t we always say we were part of the movement – not all of it? – Of course, we changed the world – but try and follow it through – GET OFF YOUR GOLD DISC AND FLY!

Don’t give me that Aunty Gin shit about “in five years I’ll look back as a different person” – don’t you see that’s what’s happening NOW! – If I only knew THEN what I know NOW – you seemed to have missed thatpoint….

Excuse me if I use “Beatle Space” to talk about whatever I want – obviously if they keep asking Beatle questions – I’ll answer them – and get as much John and Yoko Space as I can – they ask me about Paul and I answer – I know some of it gets personal – but whether you believe it or not I try and answer straight – and the bits they use are obviously the juicy bits – I don’t resent your husband – I’m sorry for him. I know the Beatles are “quite nice people” – I’m one of them – they’re also just as big bastards as anyone else – so get off your high horse! – by the way – we’ve had more intelligent interest in our newactivities in one year than we had throughout the Beatle era.

Finally, about not telling anyone that I left the Beatles – PAUL and Klein both spent the day persuading me it was better not to say anything – asking me not to say anything because it would ‘hurt the Beatles‘– and ‘let’s just let it petre out’ – remember? So get that into your petty little perversion of a mind, Mrs. McCartney – the cunts askedme to keep quiet about it. Of course, the money angle is important – toall of us – especially after all the petty shit that came from your insane family/in laws – and GOD HELP YOU OUT, PAUL – see you in two years – I reckon you’ll be out then –